Interview : “It Is A Different Environment”

One year after the sad event here in Government Bilingual High School Etoug-Ebe, how have things evolved?
It is like any other day. The students were there. The administrators and teachers who had classes in morning were there. We did the hoisting of the flag as usual and sang the national anthem. After that, we passed all the announcements we had to pass in terms of discipline and pedagogy. We had a disciplinary council on Thursday. The sanctions were read at the assembly for everybody to know and the students were advised to stay away from drugs. They were asked to try as much as possible to avoid fighting. If there is a problem, they have to go to the discipline master rather than fight. They were also advised to ask their parents to get them up because by 6:30 AM now, places are still dark. So, which means few of them were late this morning because of the change in time. In terms of pedagogy, we will soon be starting the harmonised test and so, we asked them to also prepare and to stay in class. We also talked about those who have not paid school fees; that the team of control will pass around.

A year ago, following a stampede, several people were injured. Students even destroyed equipment, including the Principal’s vehicle and the laboratory. How did the school survive this episode?
I think they just realized that that kind of vandalism were not necessary because some of the water points were destroyed so that we are unable to replace. They now have few water points. And so, they themselves regret some of the things that happened. Some of them, in some classes, came to my office to apologize and the school cooperative came to apologize on behalf of the school. So, I think they have all learned their lessons. And even some of the teachers who were said to have instigated the students, I think the whole attitude has changed. It is a different environment.

What mechanism have you put in place to implement this discipline?
At the end of the academic year, most of those students found involved were dismissed. Even par...